{Letter #84} I Like Public Speaking

Hello everyone! How has your week been? Did anything fun happen? What are you doing to celebrate Easter this Sunday?

This week it felt like I was wearing a sign that had something to the effect of the title to this email. In case you were curious, I don't actually love public speaking.

This week was busy and pretty epic! We had zone conference, gave a training there too, temple tour, spoke in sacrament meeting (with about 10 minutes notice), and exchanges!

First of all, Zone Conference! That was awesome! It was held in a historic Portland Tabernacle. It's the first stake center in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the pacific-northwest. It is pretty cool! Lots of cool history around it. If you want to know more, you can email me!

In zone conference we got to give a training on planning! The main teaching point was actually the story of the Brother of Jared in Ether chapters 2-3. I highly recommend you read them and listen to what the Spirit teaches you about planning!

We had an awesome temple visitor center tour with our friend James! He is so cool! He knows a lot about the gospel already and is working towards being baptized! If you could pray for him that would be great!

This Sunday (Palm Sunday), we were outside the chapel greeting people as they walked in. The bishop walked in then turns around and comes back. "One if the speakers couldn't come today, would you be able to speak?"

That was fun! If you haven't given a talk in front of a few hundred people with 0 prep time, I wouldn't recommend it! It's okay though, it actually turned out really well! The Spirit definitely guided that😂

That goes very well into my spiritual thought for this week! It is some of the verses I shared in that talk. The prophet Alma taught his son Helaman. He talked about a compass that worked by people's faith in Christ. Alma said:

"And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.... The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever. And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live". (Alma 37:45-47)

(If you want more context you can read verses 38-47)

I love these verses! Christ is joy! If we look to Him we will have life, joy, and direction!

Especially during this Easter season I invite you all to ponder on Christ and His atoning sacrifice! You will feel those things.

I love you all! I am praying for all of you! Have a great week!

Love,
Elder Goold

Here are some pics: 

Our friend Bailey and a couple of her friends

Our friend Jana

Our friend Diane

On p-day, we got to tour this incredible house built from scratch by a member of one of our wards.  It's huge and has lots of personality.   Our whole zone spent a couple hours touring around it.  Come to find out, one of the owners of the house grew up in the same ward I did in Virginia!  

Check out that dragon gargoyle! 

The scenic views from the house were incredible!

The grounds were pretty amazing too.

There were different themed rooms throughout the house

From last week's temple trip

P-day shenanigans

Last week's p-day included lunch at the Botchways' with the whole zone

Some more temple pics

A glimpse at our family call today 
(Me in Canby, Mom at home, Dad in Saint George, Spence in the car on the way to the gym, Emma in Provo, Ellie in Vietnam, Lucie in Alabama, Cam,Garrett, and Oliver were also there, but not in the picture)

 

{Letter #83} Be a Lighthouse; Not a Glowstick

Hi everyone! How has your week been? What has been a highlight? What is something new you tried?

It's been a good week here! A couple highlights: temple, Mission Leadership Council (MLC), exchanges, fun lessons, and a zone lunch with President Botchway.

First off, today we got to go to the temple! This was the last time we'll be able to attend before it closes until August, so it was extra special to be able to go today. It is a beautiful place when the Spirit of God dwells constantly!

If you are seeking for direction or answers I encourage you to go to the temple. Even if you don't go in. Just go. Pray and ponder. Talk with God! He will guide you!

I got to go on exchanges with Elder Partridge again!

He came out on his mission at the same time as me and we have served close to each other for almost 10 months of that time, so it was a lot of fun!

We got to teach a couple people and also just had a lot of good conversations.

We got to go to MLC on Friday! That was awesome! Elder Treadway (an area 70) was there! He talked a lot about sanctification. How we need to be sanctified.  He also specifically talked about how sanctification is a combination of obedience and sacrifice (think about temples).

He invited turn to God in prayer and ask what 1 thing we can start doing or stop doing to become more sanctified. That was a cool invitation! I invite you all to do it too! You will feel the power of Jesus Christ more present in your life as you do this!

Lastly, we had some awesome lessons with our friends this week! Our friend Mary accepted a date to be baptized. And we are working with Diane to help her progress to being baptized in a couple weeks!

All I have to say is that the Book of Mormon has power to it! If you read from it and pray to know if it is true, you will begin to see God's hand every single day!

My spiritual thought for this week is one of the few times in scripture that Jesus Christ talks about the suffering he went through. Christ said:

"Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not. For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink— Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men" (Doctrine & Covenants 19:15-19).

Christ lives! He suffered so we don't have to! Decide on just one thing you can do to be a little closer to Christ! Ponder on His infinite atoning sacrifice. He will ease your pain! He will fill you with His love!

I love you all! I am praying for you! Let me know if I can do anything for you all!

Love,
Elder Goold

 

Here are some more photos from this week:  

The sky looked so pretty on the way to the temple today

More temple pics:

Elder Moore was a bit tired. 

 A glimpse at our family phone call this week  (me in Canby, Cami, Lucie and Oliver in Alabama, Mom at home, Dad in the car in Saint George, Ellie in Vietnam, Emma walking on BYU campus, Spence driving home from the gym)

{Letter #82} I *CANBY* Like Jesus

 Hi everyone!

Did you all have a good week? What was a highlight? How did you see God's hand this week?

This week in the Oregon Portland Mission was full of excitement!

Here's why:   I got transferred, some awesome lessons, and zone council!

It doesn't look like much when I type it out, but things were constantly moving and just very busy.

So on Wednesday we had zone council! It was awesome! We studied out our call as missionaries as a zone! We talked about all that is expected of us as disciples of Jesus Christ and what blessings come from that! It was really awesome!

Then on Friday, I got transferred from Tualatin to Canby! There's a lot of craziness with the transfer. I am now companions with Elder Moore, who I have served around (in the same apartment)  for 3 months previously! I am also still covering 2 wards.

My new comp, Elder Moore, and I

In addition to getting transferred, we were also moving apartments at the same time. So I got to help out with that when I got to Canby. Fun times! We successfully got everything moved before the end of the first night.  In both Tualatin and Canby we had some awesome lessons this past week!

I also got to say goodbye to a bunch of the people I was teaching in Tualatin.

Elder Nielson and I went out with some youth before transfers

We also talked with Jim about baptism. He said that he didn't feel ready yet, but that he would keep coming to church, reading the Book of Mormon, and praying. So that's awesome!

There are quite a few people that are progressing towards being baptized here in Canby! Our friend James has been getting ready for a while. I don't know everyone here yet, but I a sure that I will learn to love them!

My spiritual thought this week is going to be from a prophet named Jacob. He taught:

"...they despised the words of plainness,... and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it" (Jacob 4:14)

In this verse Jacob is specifically talking about the ancient people in Israel, but it applies to us too!

Ask yourself:
What is the focus of my life? Am I allowing to let God prevail? Or am I "blinded" by everything going on?

When we let God prevail in our lives we will find joy, peace and understanding! President Nelson, a living prophet of God, taught:

"the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives"

I know this to be true! Focus on God in your life! He will bless you!

I love you all! I hope you have a great week! I am praying for you!

Love,
Elder Goold

PICS FROM THIS WEEK:

My last picture with Elder Nielson (who is 6'10") and the official Tualatin Zone Leader Tie, which has been in the rotation for many years.

District Lunch with the new district at a Mexican place. 

The temple pic was taken by Elder Britt;   Elder Moore and I out for lunch one day

A glimpse at our family phone call today: 
(Me in Canby, Mom at home, Ellie in Vietnam, Spence at home, Dad in Saint George, Lucie, Oliver, & Cami in Alabama)

{Letter #81} Trust in Christ

 

Hi all! How has your week been? What was the most exciting thing that happened to you? What is something you're looking forward to? Send me an email-I'd love to hear from you!

This week has been great! We have had a lot of really good lessons, fun exchanges, mission prep with the Botchways, and the temple!

First of all, the temple is amazing! Go if you haven't gone or haven't gone recently! It will bless your life!

Mission prep was awesome, the Botchways came to teach it because it was the last one for this section. Something they said a lot was "missionary work is hard work, but hard work brings joy". I really liked that! Here's a scripture I read recently that also testifies of that principle:

"And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come. And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things."

When you labor with all diligence and seek to keep Christ's commandments, you will be filled with JOY! That's an epic promise.

A couple lessons that really stuck with me this week:

Jared. We taught him about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has been a slightly disengaged learner up to this point. In this lesson he was completely immersed. He kept asking questions, wanting to know more! He was excited to come to church. Unfortunately, currently his work schedule doesn't allow for it, but if you all could pray for him that would be awesome!

Theresa. She read more of The Book of Mormon! She is still loving it! She has many good questions and loves to dive into the scriptures!

Jorge. We talked about the Plan of Salvation with him. He said that what we have been talking about is shaping his life currently! He's a really cool guy!

I got to go on exchanges with a new missionary. That's always a lot of fun. We got to talk a lot about our call as missionaries.

My spiritual thought this week is going to come from 2 Nephi 33. Nephi taught:

"...when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men."

The Holy Ghost can carry knowledge to our hearts, but it is our choice to let it enter our hearts and teach us!

I invite you all to pray to have the Holy Ghost enter your hearts more! It will bring more light and peace into your life!

I love you all! Have a great week! Let me know if I can do anything for you all!

Love,
Elder Goold


Some pics from this week:

Some paintings of the ward member we have been helping to move

We went bowling on p-day

We got a little snow this week

I love this place

A glimpse at our family phone call this week
Me in Tualatin, Mom and Oliver in Alabama, Emma in Provo on break from a class, Dad in Saint George, Spence at home